State University of New York (SUNY) policy prohibits SUNY New Paltz admission applications from inquiring into an applicant’s prior criminal history.

Students who have previously been convicted of a felony are advised that their prior criminal history may impede their ability to complete the requirements of certain academic programs and/or to meet the licensure requirements for certain professions, including the program in Art Education.

Individuals with prior criminal histories are advised to seek advice and guidance from the chair of the academic department regarding the impact of a criminal record on meeting the requirements of the major/professional licensure or certification prior to declaring the major.

Graduate Admissions

Applications to the MSEd in Visual Arts program are accepted on a rolling deadline, but applicants who apply before February 15will be given priority. The program will review applications at until May 15, and accepted students will begin coursework in the Summer Session 1. Please note that the application requires payment of a non-refundable $50 application fee. For online applications, payment can be made by credit card (Visa or Mastercard). For paper applications, payment can be made by credit card (Visa or Mastercard), a U.S. Postal Money Order, or a check made payable to SUNY New Paltz.

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) general test is required for admission. Scores from the GRE will be considered in conjunction with all of your application materials. For more information consult the GRE & MAT Info page.

Required Graduate Application Procedure

Submit your Online Graduate Application through the Graduate School and pay the application fee. Once you have submitted your application fee payment information, print the signature page that automatically displays.The signature page will be required to complete your admissions process. The signature page will display only once.

Send the following items in one packet to:

The Graduate School State University of New York at New Paltz Haggerty Administration Building 804 1 Hawk Drive New Paltz, NY 12561-2443

The signed signature page from your online application or paper application

Three letters of recommendation from instructors or other individuals who can evaluate your potential for graduate study

One official transcript from each college/university attended, including colleges from which you have transferred credits

A resume or CV

A copy of your teaching certificate.

Your Graduate Admissions essay that clearly addresses the following:

How have your previous experiences contributed to your decision to enter the program?

How will graduate study assist you in achieving your future career and educational aspirations?

What are your professional goals?

Your essay should be typed, double-spaced, and between 400 and 500 words. Because your essay provides a sample of your writing, it should reflect exemplary organization, writing style, and mechanics.

You will be sent an e-mail with a link to our electronic portfolio system within one to two business days after your application and fee have been received by the Graduate School. Use the information provided in the email to log in and check your online application status. Use "Submit Portfolio" link at the top of the page to submit your electronic portfolio. You may complete the electronic portfolio portion of the application concurrently with the supplemental packet that will be submitted to the Graduate School, but your application will not be considered until all materials are submitted.

Your electronic portfolio must include the following:

Portfolio of artwork

Your portfolio should consist of 15 examples of your best studio work in any media. Images can be labeled and ordered as they are uploaded into our Electronic Portfolio system. Each work sample must be labeled with the title of work, medium, size, and date. You may include external links to videos as part of your portfolio. This portion of the application does not include your students' work and does not need to address your breadth of ability with media. Rather, the images should represent your best work conceptually and technically. For good image quality, we recommend jpeg images no larger than 1280 x 1280 at 72 dpi.

State University of New York (SUNY) policy prohibits SUNY New Paltz admission applications from inquiring into an applicant’s prior criminal history.

Students who have previously been convicted of a felony are advised that their prior criminal history may impede their ability to complete the requirements of certain academic programs and/or to meet the licensure requirements for certain professions, including the program in Art Education.

Individuals with prior criminal histories are advised to seek advice and guidance from the chair of the academic department regarding the impact of a criminal record on meeting the requirements of the major/professional licensure or certification prior to declaring the major.